89. National Tax Service (3)
The National Tax Service! In truth, it was the National Tax Service.
To those living in Korea, it was an object of mixed love and hate. For ordinary citizens or those with low incomes, it was seen as an annoying organization forcing year-end tax settlements, or simply thieves taking their hard-earned blood money as taxes. But from the nation's perspective, the National Tax Service was a truly vital institution, handling the critical role of securing national funds. The taxes collected here became the country's finances, the driving force behind its operations.
That was why the Balhut Cult also maintained its own Balhut National Tax Service under Economic Minister Lee Hyun-ah, to run the cult's operations.
"…It's terrifying, isn't it?"
"Yeah. Terrifying."
Of course, everyone knew its importance, but the problem lay in their tax collection methods. True to the organization's ideology, the Balhut National Tax Service offered guidance and assistance to ensure cult members fulfilled their tax obligations properly. They checked members' income records and company ledgers, calculated taxes accurately, and either sent bills or came to collect in person.
Yes, the Balhut National Tax Service personally visited to collect taxes.
Considering the apocalyptic situation, one might think that was fine up to this point.
"Caught another one recently?"
"Most high-value tax evaders are Awakened, after all."
Before the apocalypse, people saw taxes as a civic duty and paid them dutifully. But now it was the end times. The issue was that anyone brave enough to fight zombies could awaken, gaining mana or superhuman strength.
In other words, those facing tax collectors weren't powerless civilians unable to defend themselves—they were likely heavily armed Awakened wielding immense power. In fact, freelance Awakened unaffiliated with the cult were far more numerous than expected.
"I get it, though. Honestly, aside from the apocalypse and zombie stuff. You know, like in those stories."
"Hunter tales, right?"
"Yeah, those. In hunter stories, the government is usually just a punching bag or ignored entirely. Once you get strong, the state looks like a pushover, doesn't it?"
Even Kim Tae-hyeon, running his transportation business as a sort of freelance Awakened outside the cult, was common. Awakened banding together into companies or guilds, operating independently without joining the military or cult, was an everyday sight… And how many of them honestly paid their taxes diligently?
"You paid yours properly, right?"
"O-of course! I hired a tax accountant in advance and paid everything so thoroughly that no National Tax Service agent would ever need to visit our company!"
Those whose livelihoods were closely tied to the Balhut Cult, like Kim Tae-hyeon, paid taxes more faithfully than anyone, desperate not to get on the cult's bad side. Knowing the cult's power better than most, they feared it intensely, praying feverishly that the cult's National Tax Service would never come knocking.
But not every Awakened in Gyeongju shared Kim Tae-hyeon's diligence.
Awakened, self-proclaimed chosen ones with great power, weren't about to bow politely to some tax collector demanding their money now.
"Why should I pay taxes? I really don't get it. What has the cult ever done for us?"
"Our guild! Our company grew this big because we're awesome! Right?!"
"Yeah, yeah! They should be waiving our taxes, not demanding huge sums…!"
What had the Balhut Cult done for them to justify taking their hard-earned money as taxes? The cult had warned in advance, before the monetary economy began, about fees for city services, water, electricity—basic infrastructure—and urged honest income tax declarations. But human greed being what it was, they only saw their own efforts, blind to others'. To freelance Awakened and their guilds, the cult seizing their accumulated wealth under the guise of taxes was something to block at all costs.
Wouldn't Dragon God Bahamut intervene in such defiance? That fear or suspicion might arise, but…
"The Dragon God wouldn't bother with something this trivial."
From a freelancer's view, a minor offender like themselves wouldn't draw the great Dragon God's attention. Bahamut's known interventions were only against zombies, never human squabbles—especially not petty matters like this. The mighty god wouldn't stoop to handling small-time tax evasion personally. So, freelancers only had to deal with the frail tax agents, not the god.
Yes, frail tax collectors could be scared off with a loud shout from a powerful Awakened.
"What good does our tax money even do?!"
"Come on! Try ripping my guts out if you dare. I bet you can't!"
Posing as small business owners or low-income earners, they argued their taxes wouldn't help the cult much anyway, then flopped down dramatically, daring the agents to collect.
"I really don't get it. This is all from my own strength. What right does the Balhut Cult have to take it?"
To freelancers, it was wealth earned risking their lives. Unaffiliated Awakened explored ruined cities, claiming precious metals and vast fortunes from the ruins. All their goods and resources came from their power.
"Thanks to these precious metals, the monetary economy took off smoothly! Yeah!"
They circulated them to civilians and the cult, generating massive income all around. So what had the cult done to deserve taxing them now, especially as high earners demanding huge sums? It grated on them.
"Wow. They really have no shame. Gorging on all the cult's benefits like pigs."
The cult had its defenses, of course. Strictly speaking, it provided safe cities like Gyeongju and Pohang, energy supplies, currency issuance—national infrastructure for citizens. Claiming the cult did nothing was an argument hugely favoring the tax evaders.
"The weapons, ammo, and protective gear they use? All made with cult tech and supplied to them."
The gear for raiding ruined towns came from the cult—loaned or sold. Even Bahamut Bullets required permits, which the cult allowed. That undercut claims of doing nothing for freelancers.
"And they gobbled up the Awakener preferential policies too. Now they want to spit it back out?"
The cult's core policy favored Awakened, benefiting not just members but freelancers too, letting them amass fortunes. While unawakened civilians scraped by in shops or services, Awakened got rich from raids. High taxes on them had solid evidence.
"We're just saying, since you got those benefits, give back to others in kind."
The cult merely asked for honest taxes and Awakened duties in return for those perks.
"No! No! No! Why give my hard-earned money to the government for free? It's unfair! So unfair!"
"The cult should treat Awakened better! Give us more perks!"
"Awaken!"
No one wanted to pay taxes to the state. Especially high-income Awakened rebelled against the "sudden outrage."
"Hello. We're here to assist with your tax collection today…"
"Scram!"
They chased away smiling collectors with force.
"You wanna die?! Don't you know how brutal it is out there?!"
"Paying taxes is death itself…!"
"Fact: The Tax Refusal Squad stands firm!"
They threatened agents with cult-bought weapons. Sure, Awakened had force, and North Gyeongju was still lawless. Flee there if needed! Some freelancers, in one-shot mentality, refused en masse as companies or guilds.
"Are you insane?"
Kim Tae-hyeon, running a business and paying huge taxes as a high earner, called them crazy. He knew.
"The scariest organization in the Balhut Cult isn't the military. It's the National Tax Service under the Finance Ministry."
Lee Hyun-ah's National Tax Service was the cult's most fearsome!
"We'll find it all if we investigate. Hmm. Awakened, will you pay quietly? Or get made to pay quietly?"
"What? What wordplay is that?"
"3. 2. 1. 0. Subdue."
Even Korea's real National Tax Service wielded immense power for collections, making companies kneel. Now, in the apocalypse, with high earners as armed Awakened, it had to adapt.
Yes…
"Crazy."
"We're commencing forced collection. Awakened, you are under arrest for tax evasion as of now. You have the right to an attorney, to remain silent, to a court review—but you know it's all for show, right, evader?"
Agents equipped with cutting-edge magic weapons from Balhut labs—not even fully distributed to Jeong Dong-gun's elites—plus riot shields that could snap necks and anti-Bahamut Bullet armor, exuded martial menace. Words failing? Violence it was.
"An army!? They sent the army for taxes!?"
"National Tax Service agents."
"Bullshit!"
The Balhut Cult couldn't forgive or tolerate tax evasion crippling national operations. Evaders needed overwhelming sincerity and respect shown—physically if necessary. Force earned respect.
Violence was the miracle equation birthing respect from nothing!
"What are you waiting for? Open the door. If you value it, hurry."
"Ah. Come in."
Even rage-filled Awakened turned meek before such overwhelming violence. Group resistance as companies or guilds? Useless. Agents aimed guns ready to fire at rebellion, shields poised for physical collection.
"So, what we just heard… Awakened?"
"I… said and heard nothing."
"Behave?"
"Yes! I'll pay diligently from now on, body and soul! Long live the Balhut Cult! Long live! Long live!"
Get it? The cult's strongest wasn't Jeong Dong-gun's force. It was the Balhut National Tax Service, pursuing taxes to the earth's ends with dignity.
"Earning respect from people is simple. Show overwhelming violence no one can ignore."
Yes, with U.S. exchanges ongoing, Lee Hyun-ah switched to American-style collections. All agents now got top Awakened gear, rivaling elite troops.